Dana White explains new fight change for UFC 309 after Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic were given ‘relieving’ last minute update

Dana White has explained his reasoning for making a late change to the gloves fighters will wear in the future.

In April, during fight week for UFC 300, White and the promotion made a massive presentation of their new 3Eight and 5Eight gloves. They were said to help minimize eye punctures and cuts, but since their debut at UFC 302 in New Jersey, they have proven controversial.

Fighters were reportedly relieved when they arrived for the UFC 309 check-in this week that the promotion would be going back to the way it was. And White has now laid out his reasoning for making the change.

Dana White explains why UFC switched gloves before UFC 309

After a few days of confusion since promotion officials confirmed they would go back to the old gloves, Dana White finally opened up about his decision-making on Thursday night. He chose to change the decision after a series of problems that fighters and others had.

“There were a lot of complaints,” he explained during a press conference in New York. We originally created these gloves to prevent eye stings and we had good intentions behind them. They didn't work, people weren't happy with them. So I actually made the decision.

“I called our Chief Operating Officer, Lawrence [Epstein]and said, 'I'm changing the gloves, I want the old gloves back'.” And when asked if this would be the plan for the future, he replied: “Yes, the new gloves are now the old gloves.”

Jon Jones is relieved about using old gloves in UFC return

It was a great joy for heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who defends his title against Stipe Miocic on Saturday evening in his first fight since the introduction of the new gloves. Neither man had used the new mitts, and neither had co-main event stars Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira.

Jones wasn't happy with the pairs he wore in training as he prepared for a new look and feel upon his return after a nearly two-year layoff. That's why he was excited when he got the call from director Hunter Campbell saying they were going back.

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

“I'm really excited about the old gloves,” Jones said earlier this week. “I was sent a pair of new gloves a few weeks ago. I tried them on and I thought they were tight. I used to fit in XL and in the new glove I had to put on a 3XL.

“I was actually really stressed thinking about how I was going to go into fight week with these gloves that I don't even want to train in. The shape, the way your hands are bent, they're very uncomfortable for me.

“I got a call the other day, Hunter [Campbell] said, “Everyone on this card is veterans, why put the new gloves on a bunch of vets? Let's give you everything you've come to expect. It was a big relief for my coach Brandon [Gibson]that wraps my hands. It was also a great relief for me.”

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